


This is how the story goes.

by BarPurple



Series: Eurydice Escapes [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt, F/M, Hurt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-03-05
Packaged: 2018-05-11 17:42:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5635969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Escape was so very close.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

As blackness took his vision, Rumple couldn’t help but be impressed by Henry’s punch. The Dark One he had been was less pleased with the lad’s fighting prowess and started babbling the second his eyes fluttered shut.

Yes he hits like a hero, Dearie. But why did he hit us? Have you been slipping him hints while my back was turned?

“And how would that work? You’re in my head. I can’t hide from you.”

Twue, but I’m not in control all the time, am I? I wonder what the lad has planned for us.

“I don’t know.”

I don’t like not knowing. Hurry up and wake up.

 

Henry stood and tried to shake some life back into his fingers; Grandfather had a jaw like iron. He honestly hadn’t expected that to hurt so much. There was a beat of silence where even the landscape was stilled in shock. Then the others erupted in a babble of questions;

“Why did you want us to grab Rumple?”

“What is happening to Killian?”

“Why can’t we approach the river?”

“Why did you hit him Henry?”

Henry opened and closed his mouth a few times as he tried to answer each question, but was interrupted by the next one. He closed his eyes and took in a few deep breaths, fighting the urge to yell at them all to shut up. The problem was that could bring attention and events were happening so quickly, the last thing they need was any more trouble. His family where still talking, shouting really, the questions were repeated and getting more insistent. 

It was Robin who stilled the storm of words by reaching for Henry’s shoulder and calmly saying;

“Henry, what do you need us to do?”

Snow realized that this was the question that they all should have been asking. She hushed the others with a wave of her hand. Henry opened his eyes and smiled, grateful for the moment of stillness that Robin's question had bought him.

“We need somewhere to hole up in. Can you and Mom find that for us Dad?”

Robin nearly swallowed his tongue at the familial title, but gave Henry a confident nod as he said;

“Of course we can. Charming? Snow? Stand guard while we scout?”

The two royals slipped easily from worried parents into the stance of warriors, as they gave the briefest of nods and moved to circle Emma, Killian and the unconscious Rumple. Regina fell into step with Robin and it wasn’t until they were out of sight of the rest that she took his hand and Robin felt safe to meet her eyes.

“You okay?”

“Your boy just called me …”

“Dad,” Regina smiled softly, “You can say it. He means it. He talked to Emma and I about this before everything went to hell. I don’t think this is how he wanted to say it to you for the first time, but he considers you a father.”

“It is a role I am honoured to take on and to share. Has Henry called Killian,” and Robin couldn’t have stopped his smile if he’d been paid, “Dad yet?”

Regina frowned in thought.

“I don’t think so.”

Robin’s joy at being accepted by the lad who his true love had raised from babyhood was pushed aside by worry.

“Bloody hell I hope Killian didn’t hear that then. He loves the lad as I do. It would break my heart to think that Henry had chosen between us. The state Killian’s in now, it could kill him.”  
Regina blew out a tense breath. 

“Right now Captain Guyliner’s mental health isn’t at the top of my list. When did Henry plan jumping Gold with you and Charming?”

“When he saved me from that rock slide. He just said if he shouted we were to grab Gold and that he hoped it wouldn’t come to that.”

Regina frowned. Robin gave her a wonky smile.

“I think we should wait until Henry explains. I get the feeling there’s more to being the Author than any of us realised.”

Regina grimaced and together they hurried along the path to find somewhere safe.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma spared Regina and Robin a whisper of a glance as they departed to find a bolthole. The main source of her focus was Killian. The wounds that Excalibur had caused reopening had her worried and angry. She wasn’t sure who to direct that anger at yet, but for now Hades was top of the list. Emma wiped the tears from Killian’s face.

“Does it still hurt?”

She nodded to his chest and for the first time since she opened his shirt Killian looked down at his chest. He’d expected to see a mass of twisted burns, but there was just the three inch scar above his heart. It had a raw look to it as if it had just stopped bleeding.

“Stings a bit, but much better than it was, love.”

“Must be more than a bit. You’re still crying.”

Killian felt his face flame as he scrubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. He risked a fast glance at Henry. The lad had his back to them, staring down the path that Regina and Robin had taken. Of course Henry would want to call Robin Father. The lad even called the Crocodile Grandfather; he accepted all of his strangely extended family. _All except you._ The voices of the Erinyes inside his head cut him to the quick, but they spoke true. Given the choice for a father what boy wouldn’t pick a hero over a coward? 

“You should get to the boat. You can all leave.”

Emma caught his face in her hands before he could curl any further in on himself.

“No! No, Killian, I don’t know what they did to you down here, or how long you were alone, but I’m here now. And I am not leaving you. Please don’t shut me out. Tell me what’s wrong?”

He clenched his jaw and swallowed. He’d be trying to be brave for her, to save her, but he was relieved that her stubborn streak was keeping her by his side. The look of concern on her face made him want to be strong for her. A memory of words he’d say to her so many times surfaced in his mind.

“I keep telling you I’m a survivor, love. Just taking a bit more effort this time around.”

Emma slid her hands from his face and wrapped him in a hug. He froze for an instant and then let his body melt into her embrace. He found some measure of strength in her touch and more in the words she whispered in his ear.

“I love you. I’ll say it first every time from now on.”

He pulled back just enough to look at her. His mouth curled into a shaky half grin.

“Is that a challenge Swan?”

“If you like.”

His smile felt easier on his face as he rose to his feet, leaning on her more than he would ever care to admit. He still felt drained, but he was beginning to feel more like his old self. _Pirate…murderer…oathbreaker._ With a sharp shake of his head Killian muffled the voices taunting him inside his own skull. He cleared his throat.

“So anyone got an idea what’s happening?”

Henry turned so quickly everyone jumped a little. The sharp tone in his voice was unlike the lad.

“Wait until we’re under cover.”

Killian wasn’t the only one to react to Henry’s sharp tone, though he was the only one to flinch. He clenched his jaw and forced himself to still, this cringing was getting old fast. Henry was shifting nervously under the combined stares of his family, but his eyes showed conviction.

Robin and Regina returned moments later. 

“There’s a cave just along that path, will that suit your needs Henry?”

Henry bit his lip as he thought. Regina tilted her head as she watched her son. The look on his face was similar to the one he had when he was working through a math problem; trying to find the right answer in a mess of scribbled half formed figures.

“Yeah, cave will be fine. Grandpa, Dad, pick up Grandfather.” 

Killian took a step towards the prone figure of the Crocodile, he might be weak still but he could at least pull his weight. He halted as Henry stood in his way.

“You can’t touch him yet.”

The lad’s words were heavy with something Killian took as pity. There was something a little familiar about the look on the lad’s face. Killian had seen that determination before. Then he’d been Deckhand Hook, a jelly legged, goat’s milk drinking coward. That must be the man Henry saw before him now. Killian dropped his eyes from the lad’s face; he had a sinking feeling he was soon going to be asked to do something crazy. _Crazy worked out well that time._ Killian rubbed his temple and wondered how many voices had taken up residence in his skull, then he blinked in surprise as he realised that this voice sounded like Henry. The puzzlement didn’t end as he looked up in time to catch an enigmatic smile on the lad’s face.

“Come on the quicker we under cover the quicker you can all start asking questions again.”

“And get some answers. Right, kid?”

Henry shrugged at Emma and started off down the track towards the cave Regina and Robin had found.


	3. Chapter 3

The walk to the cave was a short one through the suspiciously still and quite landscape of Hades. The air around the group was thick with tension that made Henry’s skin prickle. Almost time to answer some questions, which of course would lead to more. Henry harboured a tiny concern that his family were about to freak out big time. 

The cave was large enough for the eight of them all to have their own space. Snow sat down on a large rock a little way from the wall. Killian found himself a corner and wedged his back into it; Emma was right by his side clinging onto his hand as if he might vanish if she let go for a second. The still unconscious Gold was laid by a wall and Robin took up position leaning against the wall nearby. If Gold tried anything when he came too, he’d find a knife against his throat in a second. Regina was near Henry radiating concern in a megawatt range. Henry avoided her gave as he watched his Grandpa.

Charming was poking at the moss that hung from the wall and ceiling in great tresses. It was giving off a faint glow.

“Every cave I’ve ever been in, this stuff is there.”

Henry smiled, there was something comforting in the fact that right now, in the midst of the unknown, hiding out in a cave in the Underworld, Grandpa was taking a moment to notice moss. In fact that might make Henry big reveal a bit easier.

“It’s so heroes can see. It does the job I guess, but we can do better.”

Henry reached into his pockets and pulled out a leather bound notebook and a pen. He kept his movements slow and made sure he had everyone’s attention. He opened the notebook, the blank page shining up at him in the luminescent glow of the moss. He let his mind slip out of focus and took a deep breath as he wrote;

_Behind the rocks that Snow White had sat upon, she found a lanterns and torches._

Henry spoke the words as he wrote them. Snow gasped as her hand reached behind the rock she was sitting on and pulled out an oil lantern. In an instant Charming was on his knees by her side pulling more lanterns and rag wrapped torches from behind the rock. Henry gave a half smile and a shrug.

“Guess electric was out of the question.”

Silence blanketed the cave. The moss lit gloom brightened as Charming lit the wick on the lamps with his lighter. Emma gave voice to the most pressing question on everyone’s mind. 

“What the hell, kid?”

Henry smiled.

“I’m the Author.”

Robin gave Regina a small grin and she rolled her eyes at his smugness at being right. The gesture was softened by her own fond smile. Her man was smart and she loved that. 

Emma’s brow was creased in puzzlement as she considered Henry’s actions and words.

“Hang on; Isaac needed the magic quill and special ink to do stuff; to change things. You’ve got a notebook and a cheap Biro. So I say again what the hell kid?”

“Henry has something Isaac lacked; the heart of the truest believer. I suspect he could rewrite our story with finger paint if he so wished.”

Gold sat up and leaned back against the rock wall behind him. Old habit made him stretch his once crippled leg out in front of him. In the corner of his eye he saw Robin tense and draw a dagger from his belt. Charming’s hand rested with intent on the hilt of the sword slung at his hip. Ignoring the posturing he gave Henry a calculating look and realized something he’d glimpsed long ago in Henry was shining now. As long ago as their time in New York he’d thought there was something very special about the lad, but now the raw power flowing through him was clearer than it had ever been. Not power we could ever harness, Dearie. It’s too pure. 

“Henry, is it safe for you to be writing like that? Changing the story didn’t work out well for Isaac.”

Gold wasn’t sure which he hated more; the grandfatherly concern in Charming’s voice, or that he hadn’t considered the possible dangers to his grandson. His first thought had been the power. 

“Isaac broke the rules. He wrote his own happy ending. Grandma would have found the torches; I just moved it up a little.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because I can see the story; at least parts of it. It’s like a map with only crossroads marked on it. I can see the moments when the story could go in different directions; I just can’t see the path that gets us there clearly.”

“Why wasn’t your power bound by Hades spell?”

Gold recognized the voice as his own, but he hadn’t asked the question. The Dark One inside him wanted to know.

“You can’t bind the story.”

There was uncertainty in Henry’s voice, but he nodded his head as he spoke the words, as if the act of speaking had confirmed the idea for him.

“Well, this surely gives us a small advantage, doesn’t it?”

Robin addressed his question to the group at large, but it was Regina who answered.

“I’m guessing it would break the rules if Henry just wrote us back to Storybrooke,” Henry confirmed Regina’s guess with a nod, “But he saved your life from that rock slide, so yes we have an advantage.”

“It’s more than we had.”

Everyone took a moment to process Henry’s still unclear abilities. It was Gold’s impatience that broke this silence.

“I’d rather like to know why you felt the need to punch me.”

Emma rolled her eyes. 

“The more pressing question is, why did Killian’s wounds open when we got close to the river?”

Gold shot her a frustrated look.

Henry took a deep breath.

“That’s two halves of the same question. The wounds that started bleeding were made by Excalibur. If Killian crosses the Styx with Excalibur then he’ll die from them.”

“But that sword was destroyed when Emma…”

Snow trailed off with a worried glance at Killian. He didn’t meet her eye, but said in a flat voice.

“When Emma stabbed me,” his eyes darted briefly towards Snow, “It’s okay. I asked her to do it.”

Snow gave him a soft smile.

“How did Excalibur survive then and where is it.”

Henry shoved his hand into his coat pocket.

“That’s why I had to punch Grandfather, so I could get this from him.”

In Henry’s hand the new dagger of the Dark One gleamed in the light.

Now we’re in trouble Dearie.


	4. Chapter 4

All eyes in the cave were fixed on the Dagger of the Dark One. Henry felt they’d reached the next crossroads. The image was clear in his mind; behind him stretched the road they had travelled, in front of him the road branched into three lanes of solid blacktop, but trailing off from them were a million lesser roads, nothing more than dusty tracks, each a possibility, a journey that could be depending on how the next few moment played out. Henry focused on the road to his left. That was the way he felt they needed to go. He could feel the terrible tug of the Author’s power tempting him to just write his family onto the correct course. He could see why Isaac had given in, it would be so simple to just…

Henry clenched his jaw and waited for the others to choose their path. A lot depended on who asked the question.

“How does that still exist?”

The sound of Killian’s voice was hard and cold, but it eased some of the tension inside Henry. This was a step in the right direction. 

“Gold worked some magic and pulled the Darkness into a new dagger.”

Killian had pushed himself to his feet when Henry revealed the blade. He looked down at Emma as she explained. She was still seated on the floor, clinging to his hand, her eyes filled with pain and sorrow. Killian’s voice was hollow.

“I died for nothing.”

“I appreciated your death Dearie. It would have been better at my hand but at least you're dead.”

The sing-song, taunting tone was pure Crocodile. Gold looked shocked that the voice had come from his lips. Killian snapped. He wrenched his hand free from Emma’s grasp and lunged toward the bane of his existence. One handed he hauled the Crocodile to his feet by the lapels of his suit and slammed him into the rock wall of the cave as he yelled;

“You just couldn’t let it go, could you? Couldn’t risk losing your power forever! Bastard!”

Robin and Charming pulled Killian away from Gold. Killian shrugged roughly from their grip and for a moment it appeared that his outburst was over, but he rounded on Henry and slapped the Dagger from the lad’s hand. Killian snatched the blade from the air and in one fast fluid movement stabbed the Crocodile in the chest.

The Crocodile’s face twisted in confusion as smoke began to twist before his eyes, rising from the point where the dagger pierced him. Killian stumbled backwards, a look of horror on his face and words of sorrow on his lips. Henry bumped his shoulder as the lad rushed passed him to stand before Rumple.

“Henry!”

The Crocodile’s body bulged and rippled. There was a shimmer of magic in the air and Rumple fell out of himself and into his grandson’s arms. Henry was left supporting the man, while the Dark One remained pinned to the wall of the cave. Two aspects of the one now separate beings. Emma helped Henry lay the gasping Rumplestiltskin on the floor.

“You okay, kid?”

“I’m fine Mom, but Killian isn’t.”

He’d slumped against the wall opposite Rumple, scarcely able to keep his feet. Emma went to his side to support him. He was trembling, his eyes fixed on the steam of pale smoke forming around the Crocodile.

The smoke began to take on a clearer form. Each twisting coil wriggled in the air and became a link, a chain was forming. It was Snow’s puzzled voice that broke the tense silence.

“Are they names?”

“Signatures. One for every deal he ever made and every life he took.”

The names began to link together, forging a thin, delicate looking chain that wrapped around the Dark One again and again. A length whipped out and wrapped around Rumple’s wrist. The man cried out in pain as the chain of smoke cinched tight against his skin.

“They are going to come for him.”

Killian sounded terrified. Emma rubbed his shaking arm and tried to get him to look at her. He couldn’t stop staring at the bound men. Had this happened to Killian? Was this part of the torture that broke him? Emma was horrified, but managed to keep it from showing in her voice as she asked;

“Whose going to come for them Killian?”

“The Erinyes. He’s going to wish for death.”

The Crocodile sneered. Rumple whimpered. Henry took a deep breath and came to stand in front of Killian. 

“Killian, we need to sever the chain that links Grandfather to the Crocodile.”

With the cave wall hard against his back Killian couldn’t back away from the lad, but it didn’t stop him trying.

“I can’t touch those chains.”

Charming sighed and pulled his knife from his belt. He crouched beside Rumple who flinched away from him. Charming tried to lift the chain but his hand drifted through it. He frowned and tried to catch the chain on the point of the blade. It drifted through the chain as if it wasn’t there. Regina leaned down and tried to grasp the chain, her fingers passed through it, but she felt a tingle of magic.

“It’s like it’s not there for us.”

“Oh they are very real, Dearie.”

The Crocodile struggled against the chains that wrapped him from neck to ankle. His movements caused the chain binding him to Rumple to tighten. The man gasped in pain.  
Henry turned again to Killian.

“This is the magic of the Erinyes. The only one who can cut that chain is someone touched by their magic. And that’s you Killian.”

“You were bound like this?”

There was a trace of horror in Emma’s voice now, she couldn’t help it. She knew that Killian’s long past had darkness; she dreaded to think on how long his chains had been.

“By rings, so very many rings.”

His eyes now glazed over as they had been when they’d found him in the cell. Emma could see he was falling back into the terrors that had held him. She reached for his face, but Henry gently pulled her away and took Killian’s hand.

“We need you to do this. I know you can, Dad.”

The term of address caused Killian to blink. _He’s trying to manipulate you. Just like his mother._ Killian looked sickened as he shook free of Henry’s hand.

“Don’t call me that.”

Henry’s face fell. Killian looked away from him. The faces of the rest offered no escape from the moment. Regina looked murderous, Robin disappointed, Snow was shocked and Charming’s knuckles were gripping the pommel of his sword. There was a curiosity in the gold flecked eyes of the Crocodile that made Killian nervous. He couldn’t bring himself to meet Emma’s stare.

“Y-you don’t want to be my Dad?"

“You have a father in Robin.”

“Yeah, but your my Mom’s true love. We’re family.”

It was the fear in Henry’s tone that made Killian actually looked at the lad. There was fear in the lad’s eyes, fear of rejection, and the look of a Lost Boy. _That you put there._ He cursed himself and the voices of the Hags in his mind. He might have put that pain in Henry’s eyes, but he could fix it as well. 

“You truly want me as a Father?”

Henry could only nod. Killian swallowed his own doubts and pulled the lad into a hug.

“I swear I’ll do my best by you son.”

Killian looked over the lad’s head into Emma’s eyes. She looked so happy and proud. Henry clapped him on the back and pulled away. It was only then that Killian realised there were tears in his eyes. He wasn’t the only one; both Snow and Charming looked a bit teary eyed. He wiped them away and scratched at his ear with his hook and tried to sound braver than he felt. 

“Okay lad. What do I need to do to free the man from the Beast?”

“Use your hook, it should break the chain.”

Killian nodded and crossed the cave to Rumple. He quickly dropped to his knees and looked at the link that held the chain in a loop around the man’s wrist.

“Milah.”

“The name that’s always tied us together.”

Killian nodded sadly. He would never regret his love for Milah, but it had been the start of a dark journey for both him and Rumple. He hesitated as he reached for the link

“I can’t promise this won’t hurt.”

Rumple nodded and braced himself.

Killian caught the loop of Milah’s name on the tip of his hook and pulled. There was a brief resistance then the link broke. The chain snaked free and wrapped itself around the Crocodile. Killian looked at Rumple and saw relief in his eyes. There was no time for thanks of any kind as the cave filled with an echoing cry of anger.

The Erinyes melted into being from the rock beside the Crocodile.

The heroes were frozen by a wave from the hands of the three before they could speak or move to defend themselves.

“How dare you…” “…take our plaything!” “Nevermind sisters…” “…we can play with all…” “…them instead.”


	5. Chapter 5

At the wave of three clawed hands the heroes slumped to the hard ground of the cave unconscious. Only Henry and the chained Crocodile remained awake. The Dark One tilted his head in simple curiosity at the scene. With cackles of evil laughter that impressed even him the Erinyes melted back into the wall behind him. Henry was checking on his fallen family, gently repositioning limbs that had landed tangled. The Crocodile’s eyes narrowed at the lad.

“You aren’t afraid.”

Henry tucked a lock of hair away from Regina’s face and slowly rose to his feet, his back to the Darkness currently embodied in the form of his Grandfather, his eyes darted towards Gold, well in one of the forms his Grandfather had worn over the long years of his life. He took a slow breath and turned to face the evil.

“No, I’m not.”

The lad’s reply was plain, simple and completely honest, the Dark One wanted to scratch the purity of it from his ears, but the chain of signatures bound his hands to his side. He settled for wrinkling his nose and shaking his head. Henry had returned to making his family comfortable. The Dark One bristled, he deeply disliked being ignored.

“So, just you and me, laddie. Our own little family bonding time.”

Henry didn’t even look up from Snow White; the princess had slumped against her husband, they looked to be sleeping, their hands joined on Charming’s chest. The sickly sweet picture made the Dark One gag dramatically.

“Shut up Crocodile.”

“Oohh, using pirate Daddy’s moniker for me now. He’d be so proud, if he was awake.”

Henry ignored him until he’d finished checking on all of his family. The Dark One felt a faint tingle in his skin as Henry straightened out the crippled leg of his other self. He wasn’t sure if it was an illusion or if there was still a connection between them, but he tucked the information away. You could never tell what might prove useful. Henry chose a clear space in front of the Dark One and dropped into a crouch. The stance was a near perfect duplicate of Peter Pan, right down to the icy steel in Henry’s eyes. Separated as he was from Rumplestiltskin the fear of the father didn’t hold so strongly, but the echo of it was there all the same as his reptilian eyes met the lad stare for stare.

“You’re right Crocodile. This is family time, so I’ll make you a deal,” The Dark One’s eyebrows quirked in interest, “I’ll answer three questions for you.”

A shrill twittering laugh filled the cave, the Dark One’s chains whispered angrily as he tried to clap his hands together.

“Three questions a very old deal, I like it. Now why would you offer me that?”

Henry raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his lips.

“Ah no. That doesn’t count as one of the three laddie. The deal’s not yet been struck. We’re negotiating terms.”

Henry pursed his lips together and gave a one shoulder shrug. The Crocodile frowned. The lad plainly wasn’t going to make this easy for him, and while that was annoying, there was a trace of pride that Henry wasn’t an idiot hero. He was cut from the family cloth after all. The Crocodile sighed heavily.

“It’s going to be tricky to strike a deal if you refuse to speak your terms, dearie.”

Henry smiled slowly, but said nothing.

“Very well, since I have no pressing engagements, I’ll play along. You offer me questions three, a deal I am oh so very familiar with. Do like the traditional touch there laddie. As you will not offer terms may I humbly suggest we stick with the traditional structure?”

The only response from the laddie was a tilt of his head and a small rolling wave of his hand. The Crocodile nodded his head finding it irritating that he couldn’t use his own hands to add a causal drama to the discussion. Quelling the feeling he continued;

“I can ask anything I like and you must answer truthfully. My questions will begin with the words; ‘Henry answer me this’. Stops any nasty confusion in case I ask you to pass the salt and you think it one of my questions.”

Henry raise his eyebrows in merriment, just how often had that particular question even arisen in this place? The Crocodile caught his amusement and tutted.

“You understand what I’m getting at, laddie. Don’t play ignorant, it ill-suits you. Now do we have a deal, or not?”

Henry silently nodded his head. The Crocodile grinned.

“I’m in no position to sign or shake on it, but I’d like some token of our contact.”

Henry pulled out his notebook and pen. A sense of dread washed over the Crocodile, the old Darkness within him screamed at him not to trust a word the Author wrote.

“NO! I’ll not let you put our contract on paper. Can’t trust that magic you carry, laddie.”

Henry shrugged and put the notebook back into his pocket. He thought for a moment then twisted a button from his coat as he rose to his feet. The trinket lay flat in his palm as he approached the Crocodile; Henry looked at as if it were some great important artifact.

“By this token I agree to honour the terms of our deal Dark One.”

The Crocodile’s fingers were just visible through his chains, with a little twisting he managed to turn them enough to receive the symbol of their deal from Henry. It tingled with magic as he awkwardly closed his fingers around it. Henry just nodded and walked away from the bound evil.

“Think hard on what you want answered. We both know three questions are never quite enough.”

The Crocodile chewed his lip and let his speeding thoughts rush around in his mind. It did occur to him that this deal would keep him from talking for a while, allowing Henry respite from his teasing. He flicked a fast glance at the Author, who had taken a seat on the ground next to the outlaw, the laddie was well aware of the peace he’d bought himself. It didn’t rankle as much as it impressed. The Crocodile closed his eyes and waited, the button tight in his scaled hand.


	6. Chapter 6

The last thing he heard was the bitter anger of the three hags, and then came the sensation of magic and heavy unconsciousness. Robin slammed open his eyes and found himself looking at a forest. It couldn’t be real and it took him a moment to understand his initial reaction. There were no small sounds, no birdsong, or rustling leaves; the scents of the forest were missing too, no pine or leaf mould, this place smelled of nothing but dust. A shocked intake of breath from beside him brought him to the awareness that Regina was next to him. He took her hand, but she didn’t look at him, her eyes were fixed firmly in front of her.

“Hello Robin.”

He snapped his head around and he gaped at the source of the voice.

“Marian?”

“Why are you here with her?”

There was bitterness in Marian’s tone that Robin was unused to, his wife had always had the sweetest temperament. Her finger was pointing accusingly at Regina. Robin’s head swam for a moment; Marian knew that Regina was his true love, why would she ask? Regina squeezed his hand and said softly;

“This is the real Marian. Who died in the Enchanted Forest and never came to Storybrooke.”

Robin closed his eyes, of course his wife had never really returned to him, it had been Zelena wearing a glamour. Robin swallowed hard against his dry throat, they were going to have that bloody awful conversation again, he was going to have to explain his love for Regina to his wife again. Silently cursing Zelena he took a deep breath and laced his fingers through Regina’s. The tender gesture brought an outraged sound from Marian.

“I hoped you would find love again after my death, but I never imagined it would be with her, with the Evil Queen, the woman who tore me away from my family!”

The emotions tearing at him caused Robin’s voice to crack, but he forced the words he needed to say through the pain.

“Regina isn’t the Evil Queen any more, she’s changed.”

Marian’s face was closed and unreadable.

And you believe her?”

“I do, I know it to be true. I see it every single day. Would the Evil Queen have come to the Underworld to save the life of another? Regina did, without a second thought.”

Marian nodded slowly.

“And our son? She is now his mother?”

Regina was trembling slightly as she spoke;

“I can’t replace you, I wouldn’t try. You will always be Roland’s mother. I can only be a good step-mother to him.”

As soon as the words left her mouth Regina cringed. The entire Enchanted Forest and lord knows how many worlds beyond knew her appalling track record for the role of step-mother. Marian’s derisive snort was a mild response all things considered. For a very long moment there three could only stare at each other. Robin felt himself torn, his past demanding that he comfort Marian, his present wanting nothing more than to wrap Regina in his arms and protect her from this torment. The conflict rendered him helpless, despair and panic began to grab at him, dragging him into the darkness. _Hang on, they’ve got this._ Robin glanced rapidly around the unreal forest, he was almost certain he’d heard Henry’s voice, but there was no sign of him. Marian set her shoulders and jutted her chin towards Regina.

“I think we should talk. Walk with me?”

Regina gave Robin a nervous glance, but nodded her agreement to Marian. Robin gave her hand a squeeze as he released her fingers from his. He had no idea what harm could befall them here, but surely Marian wanting to speak with Regina was a good thing. He watched to two of them walk away from him, there was a cautious distance between them, but they didn’t look as if it was going to come to blows, or worse straight away.

Regina was almost holding her breath as she waited for Marian to speak. The shade keep her eyes on the path before them and after a little while she spoke.

“Has Robin told you the story of how we met?” 

Regina nodded a small soft smile on her lips. 

“Ah, more than once I imagine, the Merry Men were sick to death of hearing it, but it’s important. Robin wasn’t living a good life, but I saw him and just knew that there was something good and true in him, that he was capable of being so much more that a drunken thief who cut himself off from the world. Do you know of his father?”

Again Regina nodded, that had been a hard conversation for both of them; Robin’s relationship with his father had been as toxic as hers with Cora. 

“So you know how far he has come and how hard the journey has been for him. Are you ready for it to be an even harder road for you?”

Regina wasn’t sure how to explain everything that she had gone through to date to leave her past behind her, to once and for all shed the title of Evil Queen. 

“It’s already been a hard road for me, but with Robin by my side I’ve made it this far. It’s not a burden he has to carry alone. I have family and friends who see something good in me and they all keep me out of old habits.”

Marian tilted her head and stared at Regina. She tried to keep her countenance open, to not let the superior sneer she’d hidden behind for so many years slid onto her face. It was easier than ever before, perhaps because of where they were; you can’t mask your demons in hell.

“And my son, you will treat him better, much better than your step-daughter?”

“Yes, oh yes. Snow and I have a fair relationship now, it that’s any comfort. And Henry, my son, loves Roland. So do I.”

Their small circuit had brought them back to Robin, who was nervously chewing on his thumb nail as he keep his gaze fixed on a distant point in the trees. Regina couldn’t help but admire him, this was a conversation that any man would want to eavesdrop on, but here was her honourable outlaw doing his best to give them the privacy that Marian had requested. The shade of his dead wife reached out and gently touched his arm. Robin swallowed and greeted both of them with a bow.

“I see a spark of goodness in her, and I know that if anyone can nurture that spark into the brightest of lights it will be you Robin.”

Robin smiled and gripped Marian’s hand. Tears glisten in his eyes, but did not fall.

“And what of you? I hate to think of you trapped here. Can you move on?”

Marian took her hand back, her shoulders heaving in a great sigh.

“The only thing left that I want is to see Roland.”

There was a sudden flurry of movement from Regina as she patted her pockets. Robin’s grin was wide as her realised what she was looking for. They could show Marian her son. Regina found her cell.

“Please work. Aha!”

She looked at Marion’s puzzlement and bit her lip.

“This is a sort of magic from the world of Storybrooke.”

Marian nodded as Regina turned the cell around. She gasped as she the small box in Regina’s hand burst into life.

“That’s Roland! He’s grown so much.”

“Yes, this is a…a memory of a few days ago.”

Marian moved closer smiling happily at the video clip of Roland and Robin launching a toy sailboat. The video ended on Roland’s grinning face. Marian almost touched her finger to the screen as she traced the image of her son. She didn’t wipe away the tear that was ran down her face as she took a deep breath and stepped away from Robin and Regina.

“Beware the deception and despair of this place. You have to be stronger than it.”

Marian’s shade melted away leaving Robin and Regina reaching for the comfort of each others hand.

“What’s happening?”

“This is hell, we’re being tormented.”

Robin gave her a tight lipped smile and tugged her gently into his arms. The forest dimmed and faded away. Robin blinked his eyes open and found Henry looking down at him.

“Henry! Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Dad.”

As Robin sat up he saw Regina still unconscious at his side. He reached out to shake her awake, but Henry caught his arm and stopped him.

“Don’t, she’s not ready to come back yet.”

“What the bloody hell is going on, Henry?”

“The Erinyes are playing with us. It’s going to be rough for everyone. Who did you see?”

“Marian. The real Marian, not Zelena.”

Henry nodded slowly and his eyes took on a faraway look that Robin was beginning to associate with the powers of the Author. He waited as patiently as he could for the lad to explain. The Dark One was still bound against the wall, his evil eyes watching them with curiosity.

“Okay, everyone else has a lot to go through, but I think you’re done. You’re going to be the only one awake for most of this, probably.”

“Why?”

“You’ve fewer skeletons in your past than the rest.”

Robin’s raised an eyebrow, he wasn’t sure if that was true; his life hadn’t always been lived by a decent code. Henry apparently could read the gist of his thoughts on his face.

“Maybe I should say less unresolved business. You’ve made amends for your less than heroic actions.”

Now Robin was amazed. It was true when Marian had come into his life he had spent time repaying those his thievery had hurt. He’d not thought to buy himself grace in the afterlife by his efforts, but from the sounds of things that is what he’d done. An obvious question tumbled from his lips.

“How do you know that?”

Henry’s answer was a hint of a smile as he mimed writing in the air.

“Of course. Not going to be easy to keep a secret from you now is it?”

Henry’s smile bloomed into a grin.

“Don’t worry. I’m blocking any thoughts about my birthday.”

Robin found himself laughing. He smothered the sound in his hand; this was not the place for merriment, however much it was needed. Henry stood up and brushed himself down.

“I’ve got to go for a while. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. The others will wake up at different times. I need you to keep them calm and remind them that we will beat this because that’s what this family does.”

The lad’s tone of voice offered no room for argument; this was simply something that was going to happen. Robin didn’t get a chance to ask Henry where he was going, the Dark One beat him to it.

“Henry answer me this; who are you going to speak with?”

Henry fixed the Dark One with an unblinking stare.

“Hades.”

Henry turned on his heel and walked with firm steps toward the mouth of the cave. He paused and spoke over his shoulder;

“Two questions remain to you Dark One.”

The chained being nodded his head once before he let his eyes close and rested his head back against the wall.


	7. Chapter 7

Charming had reached for Snow’s hand the second the hags had appeared in the cave. It was his Storybrooke memories that waved a name at him; the Erinyes. Killian had mentioned them, but now he remembered that they were creatures of torment, always welcome in the realm of Hades. He’d been braced for the sudden hit of magic that they wrought upon the cave, yet he was still gasping for breath as he opened his eyes in the throne room of Snow’s castle.

“What are we doing here?”

The relief at hearing Snow’s voice and finding her by his side was almost tangible.

“I don’t know, but we’ll be alright.”

“Quite the confident fellow you wed, daughter.”

The pair turned slowly at the sound of the voice. Charming released Snow and bowed, he only knew this couple from the pictures in Henry’s storybook, but good manners at this point couldn’t be misplaced. Snow’s tear filled voice confirmed his suspicions;

“Mother. Father.”

Charming stood back as Snow embraced her parents. He thought it a little strange that she could touch them, nothing here apart from Snow felt quite real to him. There was a shimmering quality to the stonework and he realised that smells and sounds were absent; only the movement of the four people here caused noise and the place smelt of long closed up rooms. _Hold on to that thought, Grandpa._ Charming’s eyes swivelled around the room searching for Henry, but he was nowhere to be found and Leopold’s voice distracted him.

“So, you are the prince our daughter wed?”

Charming bowed formally before the shade of his father-in-law.

“But you are no true prince I think?”

“Leo! Is that anyway to speak to your son-in-law?”

Charming cleared his throat nervously, giving Queen Ava a grateful smile as he did so.

“It is the truth. I am neither royal born, nor royal raised.”

“But his is my true love Father.”

King Leopold inclined his head toward his daughter, but his eyes never left Charming. 

“True Love?”

Snow gently extracted herself from her Mother’s arms and moved to stand by Charming’s side. Her smile was confidence and radiance personified and Charming couldn’t have stopped himself from returning it for all the gold in all the realms. Leopold hummed to himself as he frowned at the pair of them.

“Well I suppose it’s too late to forbid this union.”

Snow’s laughter tinkled in the air, but didn’t carry as it should have, the echoes weren’t working here either.

“Far too late Father, we have two children. Oh I wish you could meet Emma, our first born,” Snow’s brow creased slightly, “She’d here with us, but I…”

She trailed off and met David’s eyes. The look they shared communicated much; Where is Emma? Where are we? What’s happening? Should we try to explain? Charming felt all of the questions as if Snow had given them voice, one of the benefits of a shared heart was an increase in the near telepathy they shared as True Love. He focused on his memories of the myths surrounding the Erinyes. The only physical sign of his answer was a small shrug; the only sign that Snow had understood him was a tiny nod.

Leopold huffed in annoyance. Ava reached for his arm.

“Why are you not happy, husband? Our daughter has become a strong, beautiful woman and has found True Love.”

The king pulled his arm away from his wife. For a brief instant Ava looked unhappy, but her features became a politely schooled mask of patience rapidly.

“This is not the life I wanted for our daughter, Ava! She should be ruling the kingdom with a real prince by her side.”

Snow’s foot actually stamped against the ground. Charming tensed; even without a shared heart he would have been able to feel her ire. He thanked his stars that it wasn’t directed at him and hoped that this wouldn’t be too bad. Snow squared up in front of her Father and Charming was impressed that the King only took a small step back.

“How dare you? This isn’t the life that any of us would have wanted, but this is the life we have and damn it all we live it as well as we can! If I could change things to stop Mother dying I would. If I could stop you marrying Regina I would. But I can’t change anything, I even if I could I wouldn’t change a single thing that would stop Charming becoming part of my life!”

Leopold fell back in the face of Snow’s passionate tirade. The king looked quite out of sorts and abashed as he turned to his wife. Ava sniffed at him her eyebrow raised elegantly in a curve that suggested she was thinking ‘I told you so’ though she didn’t give voice to the words. She held her hands out to Snow and Charming, silent until they had each stepped forwards and wrapped their fingers around her own.

“I am happy for you both. No matter what life has thrown your way, I am glad that you have each other,” She threw a rapid glance of wifely disapproval over her shoulder, “Not even the greatest seer can plan for the realities of life.”

Snow was smiling happily and Charming’s relieved sigh was halfway up his throat when Ava continued;

“Have you managed to avenge our deaths? Have our murderers been brought to justice?”

By his side Snow sobbed. Charming’s jaw clenched hard against the memory of her pain in the days that followed Cora’s death. They hadn’t known for sure that Cora had been responsible for Ava’s death until months later when Henry reluctantly showed them the newest story that had appeared in his book of tales. Charming had punched a hole in the wall of the Sheriff’s Station that day; he’d been prevented from doing serious damage to his hand by Hook. The pirate had calmly taken a fist to his jaw when he’d spun Charming around, then listened while the rage spilled from him in a ranting torrent. 

“Cora is dead, Mother. I killed her.”

Snow’s voice was flat and hollow. The look of triumph on Ava’s face turned Charming’s stomach. This wasn’t right. Even twisted by their time in the Underworld this couldn’t be right. He’d always believed that Snow’s parents were good people. Charming pulled Snow to his side, he was tempted to draw his sword, but settled for a warning delivered in the form of her name.

“Snow.”

Snow didn’t even glance at him, her eyes were fixed on her Father who asked eagerly;

“And Regina? Have you destroyed her for what she did to me?”

Finally Snow frowned.

“No Father. Why would you want that? Why would either of you want that?”

The King and Queen stood together and to Charming’s eyes they flickered.

“Children should avenge their parents.”

 _Three not two._ Again the sound of Henry’s voice whispered in Charming’s head. The meaning hit him like a lightning bolt. As the royals before them spoke it had sounded as if there were three people speaking, not two.

“The Erinyes.”

Charming’s hissed words were in perfect sync with the steel whisper of his sword as he drew it. Snow whimpered, but gripped his arm tightly and he knew she understood. King Leopold and Queen Ava laughed, harsh and cruel. The castle dimmed and faded from sight.


End file.
